Due to space limitations in a vehicle, a motor cannot typically be mounted along a same axis as a steering system. Use of universal joints in the steering system facilitates transmission of torque between two non-collinear axes (e.g., implemented by the steering system and the motor). However, the universal joints also introduce a non-linearity in the steering system due to geometric location and angular behavior of the universal joints. This non-linearity contributes to deviations from an intended overall steering experience with respect to vehicle response and steering wheel torque feedback. For example, due to the physical geometry of the universal joints and shafts, where two components are linked by a universal joint at an angle, a rotation of the steering wheel may not be accurately translated by those components.